Lewis and Clark High School: JP Red channels his drive for good into helping refugees

JP Red is proud of his Greek heritage

It stretches half a world away to Cyprus, a Mediterranean island cleaved by a border that symbolizes centuries of animosity between Greeks and Turks.

Most of his maternal relatives live in the capital city of Nicosia, itself divided by a hard border. Red has visited many times.

But there’s no bitterness; Red is too young for that, or perhaps too mature.

A standout senior at Lewis and Clark High School, Red found inspiration at home, in the plight of refugees in America.

He founded the Refugees in Schools club at Lewis and Clark and has worked with the Refugee and Immigrant Connection of Spokane serving incoming refugee students and their families.

In turn, he and other LC students have coordinated efforts with Feast World Kitchen and Global Thrift.

According to Red, the inspiration came from the Refugee Integration, Stability and Education program, which supports those communities nationwide. A leadership course “informed me and others about the various issues that refugees deal with, such as food insecurity and language issues,” Red said.

Inspiration also comes from his family.

Red’s mother, Constantia Red, was 3 years old and living with her family in Nicosia when she woke to the sound of gunfire as Turkish soldiers invaded the northern part of Cyprus in 1974.

“You could hear the bombs,” she said. “And then the bathroom window shattered.”

Constantia Red grew up in Nicosia, then emigrated to New York in 1992 to continue her education. There she met her future husband, Jon.

Nine years later, on 9/11, she was visited again by destruction, this time on the streets of lower Manhattan. It was time to leave; the Reds found a better life in Spokane and raised JP.

“I’m very proud of JP because he is a hard worker and very compassionate and loyal to his friends,” Constantia Red said. “He’s also very open-minded.”

JP Red acknowledges that being an advocate for refugees “has been (a) little more challenging given the climate (in) this country,” and he responded by taking part in student protests against the presence of agents from federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

The student solidarity displayed during the protests meant a lot.

“I would say it’s a cliché answer, but with all the support I get from my friends and teachers, I don’t think I would have chosen any other school, and with half the school participating, that’s a great example.”

Red also credits his teachers, especially Megan McLean in AP Calculus.

“She told me and others that she cared less about grades and how well you’re doing in class,” Red said. “She was always focused on whether we learn something every day. And she was always there for me.”

Red has also played tennis and soccer for the Tigers while maintaining top academic marks.

But there will be little time after graduation to reminisce. On June 30, Red will fly to Penn State to take summer courses as a prerequisite for a planned major in business.